Members Excelsior Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 Anyone ever played with LACE sensor style pickups in a strat? How do they sound, how do they distort, and most of al how do they feel? I'm interested in knowing, is there a general consensus about them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DonK Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 Oh man, you had to open that can of worms again. People who like them (like me) will tell you they sound good and "Strat-like", without the noise. Others are going to chime in and tell you they're "sterile" (it's risen to the level of a cliche). Consensus? Don't hold your breath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 Originally posted by DonK Oh man, you had to open that can of worms again. People who like them (like me) will tell you they sound good and "Strat-like", without the noise. Others are going to chime in and tell you they're "sterile" (it's risen to the level of a cliche). Consensus? Don't hold your breath. More than "regular" pickups, I think it has a lot to do with the density of wood in the body, the neck (maple vs rosewood) and what kind of Lace sensore you use-gold, silver, red or blue. I have a strat style guitar, light body (my friend Nick is a luthier and built it from a block of wood) with a maple tele style neck (he made that too) and I use the gold lace in it. I think it sounds great on most things, though it's smoother and has a more 'velvety' tone than straight single coil strat pickups, and not raspy or ringy at all. Definitely not as "quacky" as a regular strat sound. Overall, I like them a lot for that guitar. When I had them in a different strat, not so good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DonK Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 Originally posted by BlueStrat More than "regular" pickups, I think it has a lot to do with the density of wood in the body, the neck (maple vs rosewood) and what kind of Lace sensore you use-gold, silver, red or blue. I have a strat style guitar, light body (my friend Nick is a luthier and built it from a block of wood) with a maple tele style neck (he made that too) and I use the gold lace in it. I think it sounds great on most things, though it's smoother and has a more 'velvety' tone than straight single coil strat pickups, and not raspy or ringy at all. Definitely not as "quacky" as a regular strat sound. Overall, I like them a lot for that guitar. When I had them in a different strat, not so good. I agree, and I think the Golds sound best overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Simon Garlick Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 I've had Lace Sensor Golds in my main Strat for a few years now. Let's get a popular misconception out of the way early: Lace Sensors are not, repeat NOT, noiseless pickups. They are true single-coil pickups -- not stacked humbuckers -- but designed to be as low-noise as possible. To my ears the Golds have a beautiful bell-like clarity combined with a slightly compressed attack. IMHO they don't really have that classic Strat sound. They sound very close, but the slightly squashed character gives them a tone more suited to distortion than stock Fender single-coil pickups. I think that's the greatest thing about the Lace Sensors... for single-coil pickups they sound fantastic with distortion. Really liquid and shreddable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 Originally posted by Simon Garlick I've had Lace Sensor Golds in my main Strat for a few years now. Let's get a popular misconception out of the way early: Lace Sensors are not, repeat NOT, noiseless pickups. They are true single-coil pickups -- not stacked humbuckers -- but designed to be as low-noise as possible.To my ears the Golds have a beautiful bell-like clarity combined with a slightly compressed attack. IMHO they don't really have that classic Strat sound. They sound very close, but the slightly squashed character gives them a tone more suited to distortion than stock Fender single-coil pickups.I think that's the greatest thing about the Lace Sensors... for single-coil pickups they sound fantastic with distortion. Really liquid and shreddable. Well said. They make great slide guitar pickups for me precisely because the natural compression of them offers a bit more natural sustain and not much "raspiness". You can see my guitar here...I'm the guy with the red handmade Nichols guitar (and the gray billy goat chin!) http://www.saddletramp.smugmug.com/gallery/1529635/12/73827531 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Karma1 Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 After a lot of experimenting with different pickups in my Strat. I've settled on Lace Sensors (Silver/neck, Gold/middle, Blue/bridge). I happen to be one of those people who really likes the sound of them and appreciates how quiet they are. I originally tried a Red, which is the highest ouput, in the bridge, but found it too harsh and edgy. The Blue, which is often used as a neck pickup, works well for me in the bridge and has a warmer, fatter sound - not quite like a humbucker, but more in that direction. It sounds great with distortion, and with the tone knob rolled off about half way, can get that "woman tone" that a lot of players like. The Silver in the neck is amazing and has a lot of the glassy, bell tones that one associates with a Strat. However, it's not exactly the classic vintage Strat tone that would excite a Strat purist. But I'm very happy with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wilmer Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mac_C Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 Check out Lace Holy Grails. I had a set that I loved and I've haven't heard anything very negative about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bdegrande Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 They work fine in Strats, they were the standard pickups in the Strat Plus line and other Fenders for years. The Lace Holy Grails are the closest thing to a vintage Strat pickup sound, and they ARE noiseless. If you are looking for a traditional Strat sound, those are the closest Lace pickups. The Lace Sensors are single coils. They are reduced noise, but not noiseless. The Golds have a very smooth, glassy, compressed sound. I love them, they are one of my favorite pickups ever. The Reds are a very high output pickup, harsh and biting, sort of similar to a Hot Rails. I have never found much of a use for them, but many people use them in the bridge position. The Silver and Blue are somewhere in the middle, the Blue a little hotter than the silver. These are somewhat closer to a humbucker type sound. There are some newer colors (Burgundy, Light Blue, Hot Gold) that I haven't tried. I have heard a lot of good things about the Hot Golds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Banded-Morwong Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 They make my strat sound very vintage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TheGZeus,OnFire Posted June 18, 2006 Members Share Posted June 18, 2006 Banded-Morwong ....nah. I like how they're actually advancing electronic pickup technology.The Alumitones and TranSensors in general AMAZE me.I have NO idea how they work.The look like a pickup cover with magnets in them and a jelly bean attached with a metal bar.Yet they have MORE output with lower impedence??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted June 19, 2006 Members Share Posted June 19, 2006 I have a gold in one of my guitars. It has some humbucking qualities but lacks bite.I think the best thing about them is that they are noiseless but brighter than a mini hum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ninjaaron Posted June 19, 2006 Members Share Posted June 19, 2006 My strat has a Red-Gold-Silver. I think they sound fantastic for the most part. Basically as everyone has described so far. Gold is close but not quite the same as a classic strat sound. Silver is fatter, maybe a bit bluesier, maybe even a little P90 vibe in a way. Both very smooth sounding (which maybe seems steril if you want that really raw classic single coil sound). The Red, as some have said is quite harsh. However, I like to play a bit of metal, and it can go there. with a bit of gain it can get that 'liquid' lead sound. It rocks with distortion, but I hate it clean. Then again, I hate most neck humbuckers clean. A neccisary evil for those of us that like some of the heavier styles, I guess. (Just got a tele with all the raw single coil spank that I could ever want to fill this little gap) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NoirAbattoir Posted June 19, 2006 Members Share Posted June 19, 2006 They handle gain well, but they aren't very strat single-coil like in my opinion. No noise, kind of a single coild sound. Not bad, but not the traditional strat sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Idiot Posted July 29, 2006 Members Share Posted July 29, 2006 I just put three gold lace sensors in my 68' reissue japanese strat. They sound very nice and I like the fact that they're low hum. I'm actually able to play with a little distortion now.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lord preset Posted July 29, 2006 Members Share Posted July 29, 2006 I have an early Strat Plus that came with Lace Golds. I was very happy with them for years but I have recently switched them out for the new Fender SCN pickups that come on the current American Deluxe Strats. To my ear they sound closer to the "original" Strat sound. If I was upgrading a regular strat now I would use these rather than Laces, but both sound good in their own right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DadOBoogins Posted July 30, 2006 Members Share Posted July 30, 2006 Stick Silvers in all three spots and start drooling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sip Posted July 30, 2006 Members Share Posted July 30, 2006 I have Lace sensor Light Blue in the neck and Red in the Bridge and I love them. They eliminate lots of hum while retaining lots of sweet tone. It was worth swapping out the stock pickups for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members batotman Posted July 30, 2006 Members Share Posted July 30, 2006 I had a Strat Plus with 3 golds. Then tried a red in the bridge, then tried the Hot Gold 13.2k in the bridge. Also owned a red/red dually. All of those sucked ass, sterile sounding. The only decent one was the Hot Gold 13.2k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sip Posted July 30, 2006 Members Share Posted July 30, 2006 Originally posted by ColorsoundKid They handle gain well, but they aren't very strat single-coil like in my opinion. No noise, kind of a single coild sound. Not bad, but not the traditional strat sound. Thats a great Mr. Show Avatar you have there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members strat les sg Posted July 30, 2006 Members Share Posted July 30, 2006 just gotta silver off ebay for my strat plus,gonna change out another gold, in the neck, gonna have a silver,gold, red setup ,best sounding out my strats so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted July 30, 2006 Moderators Share Posted July 30, 2006 I dont really see a role for Laces anymore, they dont anything exceptionally well, just a few things OK. For noiseless SCNs are just quite superb, for trick wiring setups you can get SCNs doing pretty big HB type sounds and if you want pure Strat, Lollar, Van Zandt, Fralin are unbeatable and Vintage Vibes if you want something tailor made. If Lace can do anything better than any of these I'd be surprised. Out of all of them the most trick puppies are the SCNs. Fender Custom Shop Fat 50s also have a following on this site. Lace? I wouldnt bother:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted July 30, 2006 Members Share Posted July 30, 2006 When you mix them with other pickups you get some cool sparkling sounds. SLIGHTLY phase canceling. Not all nasal and thin. Really bell-like. the trick is not to go too high in outout and only use one in the middle position of a 3-pickup guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members book_of_lies777 Posted July 30, 2006 Members Share Posted July 30, 2006 I've not personally played any, but Ritchie Blackmore uses the Lace Sensor Golds in the bridge & neck positions of his Strats(he doesn't use the middle position), and he's got a smooth, fat, but still 'Stratty' tone, IMHO - I'm sure the Engl helps! hehehehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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